Pest Management News Dr. John D. Hopkins, Professor and Extension Entomologist – Coeditor Dr. Kelly M. Loftin, Professor and Extension Entomologist – Coeditor Contributors Dr. Rebecca McPeake, Professor and Wildlife Extension Specialist Dr. Bob Scott, Professor and Extension Weed Scientist Sherrie E. Smith, Plant Pathology Instructor, Plant Health Clinic Diagnostician Christian Wilcox, ACE ESA, Technical Director, McCauley Services Letter #4 August 31, 2017 ________________________________________________________________________________ The Turkestan Cockroach: New to Arkansas Christian Wilcox, McCauley Services and John D. Hopkins The Turkestan cockroach, Blatta (Shelfordella) lateralis (Walker), also known as the rusty red or red runner cockroach, has become an important invasive species in the Southwestern U.S. and areas of Southern California. In those areas, it is replacing the oriental cockroach as the most important peri-domestic species. What does that have to do with us here in Arkansas? The Turkestan cockroach has been an emerging issue for Pest Management Professionals in Arkansas over the last 3 years related to proper identification and management solutions. Turkestan cockroaches are native to a large area of the Middle East extending from Libya eastward to Central Asia including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and southern Russia. In 1978, the Turkestan cockroach was first Recent Commercial Pest Management Encounters with Turkestan Cockroaches in Arkansas reported at Sharpe Army Depot in Lathrope, CA. In 1979, a second infestation was reported at Fort Bliss, El Paso, TX and subsequently, high numbers were found in Mesa, Scottsdale, and Tucson, AZ. It was also reported at Fort McPherson, GA. Transport of military goods and equipment from the Middle East is probably responsible for its initial introduction. However, Turkestan’s are widely available for purchase on the Internet by animal breeders needing live insects as a food source. They are particularly popular among reptile breeders because they are easily maintained in the lab and unable to climb smooth surfaces. This may be the first time that an invasive urban pest species is widely distributed via Internet sales of live insects. It is very likely that this invasive cockroach could ultimately be spread throughout the rest of the U.S. The biology and life cycle of the Turkestan cockroach is similar to the oriental cockroach and males and females differ widely in appearance. Adult males range from 1 to 1.1 inches in length and wings extend beyond the tip of the abdomen. Adult males are a brownish orange or red, are slender, and have long yellowish wings. The outer wing margins of the male’s forewings are almost translucent near the wing base. Males readily fly and are attracted to light. Adult females range from 0.75 to almost 1 inch in length, are dark brown to black, and broader than males. Females have wings that are greatly reduced and their forewings are rather triangular in shape, having a cream-colored stripe along the edge. Adult Male Turkestan Cockroach Adult Female Turkestan Cockroach with Ootheca Pest Control Technicians are facing identification challenges in the field. Oriental cockroaches are not seen routinely here in AR but technicians have been taught that a key identifying trait are the short wing pads. This has led to numerous misidentifications of actual Turkestan cockroaches A. Adult Female Turkestan - B. Adult Female Oriental While male Turkestan and male oriental cockroaches appear different, male Turkestan cockroaches closely resemble wood cockroaches _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture and County Governments Cooperating. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The mention of any commercial product in this publication does not imply its endorsement by the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service over other products not named, nor does the omission imply that they are not satisfactory. Adult Male Turkestan Cockroach vs. Adult Male Oriental Cockroach vs. Adult Wood Roach Nymphs can also present identification difficulties Turkestan vs Oriental vs American Cockroach Nymphs The Turkestan cockroach appears to have a competitive advantage over the oriental cockroach. The developmental period of the nymphs of Turkestan cockroach is shorter, and adult female Turkestan cockroaches produce considerably more eggs than do oriental cockroaches. Turkestans also have a more rapid life cycle than the oriental cockroach, allowing them to become adults after 5 molts, whereas oriental cockroaches require between 7 and 10 molts. Adult female Turkestans produce between 2 and 25 oothecae over their life span with the number of eggs per ootheca averaging around 16.7. Male and female Turkestan nymphs matured into adults in an average of 224 days with _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture and County Governments Cooperating. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The mention of any commercial product in this publication does not imply its endorsement by the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service over other products not named, nor does the omission imply that they are not satisfactory. a range of 126 to 279 days. In the lab, many Turkestan adults lived for at least 13 months after being paired together. Most published information on the Turkestan cockroach list outdoor locations (see photos below) as the most common places to find them. Outdoor locations where Turkestan cockroaches have been found in Arkansas Outdoor locations where Turkestan cockroaches have been found in Arkansas _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture and County Governments Cooperating. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The mention of any commercial product in this publication does not imply its endorsement by the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service over other products not named, nor does the omission imply that they are not satisfactory. Outdoor locations where Turkestan cockroaches have been found in AR Outdoor locations where Turkestan cockroaches have been found in AR Outdoor locations where Turkestan cockroaches have been found in AR _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture and County Governments Cooperating. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The mention of any commercial product in this publication does not imply its endorsement by the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service over other products not named, nor does the omission imply that they are not satisfactory. In addition to outdoor locations, Professional Pest Management Firms have been finding Turkestan cockroaches in high numbers indoors as well (see photos below). Indoor locations where Turkestan cockroaches have been found in Arkansas Indoor locations where Turkestan cockroaches have been found in Arkansas One other observation here in Arkansas is that Pest Management Professionals have been finding many more female Turkestan cockroaches in accounts than males. Any pest management program that provides effective control of the American cockroach or other peri-domestic cockroaches should control the Turkestan cockroach. A proper Integrated Pest Management strategy following the steps of 1) Monitoring, 2) Positive Pest Identification, 3) Sanitation, 4) Exclusion through structural repair and structure lighting modification, and 5) Judicious use of Insecticides. Cockroach baits formulations (gels, granlulars, & dry flowables) and _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture and County Governments Cooperating. The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.